CHAPTER THREE

"Why am I lugging this thing around for you guys? You guys are werewolves too," Isaac said as he carried a full sized mattress up the stairs to the Hale loft. "It's not like you guys would have had any problem carrying it yourself."

"Because you're a gentleman, we're lazy, and you have a thing for Magda," Cora replied offhandedly. "At least we're taking the stairs with you instead of leaving you to take the elevator. And only because Magda talked me out of it."

"I do not have a thing for Magda," Isaac instantly defended. When he looked to Magda to see her reaction, she was focused on the steps in front of her.

"Sure," Cora said as she unlocked the door.

"You guys really didn't have to get me a mattress," Magda said sheepishly. "I would have been fine on the floor."

"And by floor you mean, Isaac's bed?" Cora teased. She knew she was giving them both a hard time, but it was too fun. Derek never had anything juicy to tease about.

"You suck," Magda said, sitting down next to Cora on her bed as Isaac lowered the mattress onto the floor. The room was a little tight, but still comfy enough for the two girls.

"Get used to it, roomie," Cora smiled.

"If you're done using me as a pack mule, may I go now?" Isaac asked.

"Yes, you are dismissed," Cora said haughtily with a teasing smile. "But don't forget about training tonight."

"Training?" Magda questioned.

"Did we not mention that yet?" Cora asked the girl. "We're going to have training sessions about three to four times a week. Probably a little more at first, since you're new to everything."

"He did it for me, Erica, and Boyd too, when we first turned," Isaac offered, sensing the nervousness in Magda.

"Who are Erica and Boyd?" she questioned.

"They were my former packmates," Isaac answered. "They uh, they were killed earlier this year."

"I'm so sorry," Magda replied.

"But during training, Derek will help teach you how to control your wolf urges. How to maintain your humanity on your first full moon, which is actually coming up pretty soon," Isaac continued stoically.

"And then there's the boot camp part," Cora added. "Work on strength, agility, and endurance. But we'll probably wait until after your first full moon to start that."

"Sounds like tons of fun," Magda deadpanned. She had never been very active or athletic at all. She was much more used to being a punching bag. "Who participates in these training sessions?"

"Just us," Isaac answered. "It's more of a Hale thing, than a general werewolf thing. Since Derek was my alpha, I actually kind of enjoy it. Makes me feel… confident."

"When were you ever not confident?" Magda scoffed. She had a hard time believing that this attractive, athletic, and funny guy ever had issues, even if his dad did hit him.

"You'd be surprised. Getting bitten was the best decision I've made in my life. It completely changed me."

"I hope it does the same for me."

Later that night, Magda was too wired from her first training session to fall asleep. While most of the training session was spent talking, doing breathing exercises, and introspection, Derek did allow Magda to show him what she could already do. He let her test her speed by running as fast as she could, and allowing her to use a punching bag to assess her strength. Feeling her own strength and agility amplified by the werewolf in her, Magda had felt her confidence slowly building.

Magda bit her lip as her werewolf ears heard Isaac whimpering in his sleep. A part of her wanted to wake and comfort him, like she had the night before. But another, bigger part of her couldn't stop hearing his words, I do not have a thing for Magda.

"You know, I can tell you're not really asleep. I can hear your heart racing."

Magda opened her eyes slowly to see Isaac leaning in the doorway.

"I thought you were kidding about the whole making me deal with my nightmares on my own thing," he said.

Magda pursed her lips and glanced at Cora, who seemed to be sound asleep. When she looked back at Isaac, he cocked his head for her to follow him into the living room.

"Did I do something to offend you, Magda?" he asked her once they were sitting on the couches, a respectable distance between them.

"No, of course not," she replied, looking down and a tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I just didn't want to make things weird, you know?"

"You mean with Cora? She's a lot of talk, but I'm sure she doesn't mind it."

"It's not that…"

"Then Derek? I'm sure all you'd have to do is give him a puppy dog pout and cave. He's tough, but mostly just protective."

"No," Magda said, frustration seeping through her voice. "It's not Derek. I just… I don't want things to be weird between… us."

"What do you mean?"

"Three days ago, I was a lone wolf wandering the streets, no pack, no family, no allies," Magda said. "And now I have a home, I have people who actually care for me for some reason. Someone who understands me… I just… It's all so crazy."

"I understand it's overwhelming," Isaac comforted. "Believe me. One day I'm human, living with my dad who abused me… the next thing I know, I'm accepting the bite and becoming a werewolf, my dad is killed, and I become a part of Derek's pack."

"But it's different. I've been here, what, two days?" Magda continued, emotions rising. "You had a point. I've been shuffled between foster homes my entire life, abused in every way possible…" There were tears in her eyes now, but she couldn't stop. "And yet here I am, knowing you guys for two days, and I'm already getting too comfortable. Too trusting. It will only be a matter of time before I get shuffled out again, but this time it will be worse because for some reason I actually feel safe around you, which is crazy, because you guys are werewolves! I'm a werewolf! I should have just left that first day when Scott rejected me from the pack, but I was weak and let you guys sucker me in."

Magda was getting hysterical, her voice rising and tears falling freely. Isaac grabbed her by the shoulders to try and calm her down, but she instantly recoiled and her eyes glowed yellow, but Isaac maintained his firm but gentle grip.

"Magda, please take a second and breathe," Isaac said gently. "Please just breathe and look at me."

Shakily, Magda kept her gaze on Isaac as she took three deep breaths. Her eyes turned back into her natural brown.

"It's going to be okay," he said, loosening his grip of her. Her shoulders instantly slumped. "You're right. I can't even begin to understand what all this is like for you. But you also need to understand that things are different this time."

"How? How are things different?"

"Because you're not alone. You have Derek, and Cora, and the pack will come around in time. And you have me."

Something flickered in Magda's eyes.

"Look," Isaac said, running his hand through his hair, "I don't know what it is, if it's because of our similar background or something else, but… I don't want you to feel like we don't want you. Like we don't care about you. Because I do. And I know what it's like to think that nobody cares. I walked around these halls for years, hiding bruises and making up excuses, thinking that nobody cared. I'm not going to let you think the same."

Magda didn't know what to say, so just smiled at him. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry to bother you," Isaac apologized. "I'll let you go back to sleep."

"Actually, uh, if you still wanted me to, I could join you tonight to try and keep those nightmares away?" Magda offered nervously.

"Are you sure you're alright with this?" Isaac questioned as they climbed into his bed. "I don't know the extent of what you've gone through in the past, and I just want you to be comfortable."

"Thank you, that means a lot to me," Magda said as she pulled the covers up to her chest. "And yeah. Oddly enough this feels… safe." She gingerly laid her head on his chest. "Is this alright?"

"Yeah," he said, and she could feel his chest vibrate. His hand hovered above her waist, but instead let it drop to the mattress. "You're fine."

"First night with my own mattress in years and I'm not even using it," Magda said with a smile.

"Cora is not going to let us hear the end of it," Isaac laughed.

"It's not my fault that you can't get through the night without nightmares without me," Magda teased.

"You need me too," Isaac argued.

"Details, details," Magda waved off, yawning. "Now shut up, and go to sleep."

"Good night to you too, Magda."

"I so called it," Cora laughed as she walked into the living room the next morning.

"I don't even want to know," Derek said, making coffee in the kitchen. "Just please no werepuppies. I may be equipped to teach you how to be werewolves, but how to be parents to a werebaby… you're on your own and out of my loft."

"Nightmares, people!" Isaac grumbled as he propped himself up on his elbows. "Psychological studies. Scientific fact. Get off our backs."

"Just be extra careful about hormones. Tomorrow is the full moon," Derek cautioned.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Magda asked as she got out of Isaac's bed and made her way to her room to get things for a shower.

"We're at our strongest with the full moon, but it also heightens emotions. So please don't make me have to give you guys the sex talk," Derek groaned.

Magda thought about Derek's words as she showered and got ready for another day at school. Was the full moon the reason for feeling connected to Isaac? It would definitely explain her breakdown the night before. Was that also the reason that Isaac wanted her in bed with him? Was it just crazy teenage hormones amplified by werewolf genes at the full moon? Or did he really care about her?

With all these thoughts running through her head, she didn't even think to wait for Cora or Isaac before leaving for school.

"Hey, you left this morning in a hurry," Cora said as she stood next to Magda's locker. "Derek was gonna let you know that since tomorrow is the full moon, we're meeting right after dinner tomorrow to prep you."

"No training tonight?" Magda asked as she pulled out her textbooks."

"Nope," Cora informed her with a smile. "I convinced him to give you the day off so you can actually try to be a bit of a normal teenager."

"I'm a teenage werewolf," Magda commented, shutting her locker. "I think I left normal the moment I got bitten."

"At least give it a try," Cora nudged. "A fresh start and all. And there's a lacrosse game today after school, so we're going to that."

"We are?" Magda asked.

"Yeah," Cora said, "We gotta root on your man." She laughed as Magda gave her a look. "Besides, it'd be a good way to show your support for Scott and Stiles and the whole pack. The fact that Isaac also gets a chance to show off to you is just a plus."

"Fine, fine, fine," Magda conceded. "I guess I'll meet you at the lacrosse field after school."

As Magda lay in her bed that night, she realized that she actually enjoyed the lacrosse game. At first she had been apprehensive, especially sitting with Alison and Lydia in the bleachers, but she found herself easily roped into the atmosphere of the game. It didn't take long for her to join in all the cheering and shouting. It didn't even bother her as much when Cora would give her sly looks whenever she cheered for Isaac. In her defense, she made sure to cheer for Scott and Stiles as well.

Magda sighed as she rolled over in bed. She doesn't know if it was the anticipation of her first full moon, or the fact that it was her first night in Beacon Hills sleeping alone, that kept her up and mind restless.

The lacrosse team decided to have an impromptu party celebrating their win, and while Isaac had invited them to tag along, Magda cited Derek's curfew and tiredness from the coming full moon as an excuse to just head home. In all honesty, Magda just wasn't used to being around such large groups of people, and the idea of a high school party terrified her. Because of the party, however, Isaac decided to crash at the McCall house as Melissa was working a double late shift.

Magda tossed and turned again, and she heard Cora shuffle in her bed as well.

"You miss Isaac, don't you?" Cora asked in a tired voice, though her teasing tone was clear.

"Shut up," Magda said as she shut her eyes and forced herself to count sheep.

The next day, the day of the full moon, Magda felt like she was on pins. Derek's warning of heightened emotions made Magda extra caution to avoid all emotions at all… Which only led for her worry to get heightened even more.

Dinner was a silent affair, and Magda felt almost sick to her stomach. As Derek and Cora were cleaning up the table, Magda felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. It was Isaac, with a calm look on his face.

"Just try to relax," Isaac told her. "It'll be alright."

As soon as the dishes were washed, Derek drove them to the outskirts of town to the warehouse district. Magda was fidgeting the entire ride there until Isaac grabbed her hand and gave her a comforting smile. Magda felt herself physically relax at the gesture.

Before the entered the warehouse, Derek stopped Magda.

"I know that you haven't known us very long," Derek said. "And I know I haven't made the best effort to get to know you myself. But what happens tonight is going to have a huge impact on the rest of your life as a werewolf. There are going to be things that scare you. But I'm going to have to ask you to trust me, and not ask too many questions. Can you do that?"

Magda swallowed and looked between Isaac and Cora. "They trust you," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "So yes. I trust you."

And there goes another chapter of Omega! Please leave a review and let me know what you think, if you have any questions, or if any part of this chapter stuck out in particular.

I've also posted two one-shot fics in response to the 3B finale, writing some closure for Aiden and Ethan (Redemption and Survive, respectively). If you have the time, please give it a read and let me know what you think! :)